Item 9: Ordinance Concerning Stormwater Development Standards

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Attachment to Comments re: Stormwater Ordinance--Low Impac Page I of3 KEPPLER Peggy A Sent: To: Cc: From: Becky Riley [briley@efn.org] Monday, May 22, 20064:51 PM KEPPLER Peggy A WALCH Therese; COREY Kurt A; MUIR Susan L; CARLSON Jim R; TAYLOR Dennis M; YEITER Kurt M Subject: Attachment to Comments re: Stormwater Ordinance-Low Impact Development (LID) Low Impact Development Typical low impact development standards promote or require: * smaller footprint development (build up, not out) * limitations on percent coverage of a site with impervious surface * narrower streets, sidewalks and driveways * smaller front yard setbacks to reduce driveway length * site fingerprinting for minimal disturbance during development * protecting soils from compaction and preservation of high infiltration soils * preservation of existing open waterways and drainage ways * preservation of existing trees and vegetation * retention of buffer vegetation along waterways * addition of constructed stormwater control facilities or conveyance only AFTER these other approaches are used to minimize runoff and maximize natural filtration in the first place Requiring developers to do site planning and use the above techniques would go a long way toward minimizing stormwater runoff and reducing the negative impacts of development in the first place. Developers would also come out ahead--by reducing the need for additional constructed facilities to manage stormwater, and by preserving more of the greenscape and mature trees that can increase property values. The LID materials and language referenced or excerpted below contain provisions and wording especially relevant to protecting the natural hydrology of a development site. But note that other LID standards (such as some of those listed above)--iftailored to the specific needs and characteristics of our community--also have great potential to promote higher density development in appropriate locations of existing neighborhoods that is more attractive and palatable to residents. We believe that adoption of LID standards could be one way for the City to address a number of the hot issues about opportunity siting and infill standards and help address the concerns of residents about the "high impact" development that we see happening in our neighborhoods now. Excerpts from Prince George's County, MD Low Impact Development Hydrologic Analysis (http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/lid/lid _hydr. pdt): In low-impact development, the design approach is to leave as many undisturbed areas as practical to reduce runoff volume and runoff rates by maximizing infiltration capacity. 5/23/2006